Slow Cooker Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast

Name: Slow Cooker Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 480 min
Ingredients: 2-3 lb. pork loin roast; 1 tsp dry sage; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/4 cup water; 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 garlic clove (minced); 2 tbsp brown sugar

Published: Oct 22, 2019 · Modified:Nov 4, 2022 by Amanda Cooks & Styles · This post may contain affiliate links · 28 Comments

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Slow Cooker Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast - Tender and delicious pork roast slow cooked in a crockpot with a sticky balsamic brown sugar glaze. I love serving this pork roast over mashed potatoes or with steamed veggies and rice.

This pork roast is one of our favorite things to make in our house because it is so tender, flavorful and easy to make! Another reason why I love this balsamic pork roast is because it is a super budget friendly recipe. We make this meal at least once per week!

This recipe serves about 4 people, so if you are cooking for a crowd simply double the recipe. Store leftovers completely cooled in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. To reheat leftovers, just place in a saucepan over low heat until nice and warm.

Ingredients you need to make Balsamic Pork Roast:

pork roast - You can use a boneless pork shoulder or pork butt.

balsamic vinegar - You'll need balsamic vinegar to make the glaze.

apple cider vinegar - This will help the pork to tenderize while cooking.

brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar both work great in this recipe.

water - Added to the crockpot while the pork cooks.

soy sauce - I used low sodium soy sauce in this recipe, but regular soy sauce would also be great.

garlic clove - Fresh garlic is best in the glaze, but you can substitute ¼ teaspoon garlic powder in the glaze.

dry sage - I prefer dry sage over fresh in this recipe because it is rubbed on the outside of the pork prior to searing.

salt - I almost always use sea salt in my recipes, but you can use any salt you have on hand.

pepper - Fresh cracked black pepper or ground black pepper.

garlic powder - Make sure you are using garlic powder and not garlic salt.

What tools do I need to make the pork roast?

Skillet - To sear the pork in.
Tongs - For turning the pork while it sears.
Slow Cooker - To slow cook the pork roast in.
Small Saucepan - For making the balsamic glaze once the pork is done cooking.

How to make Slow Cooker Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast:

Step 1 - In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp dry sage, 1 tbsp brown sugar, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ½ tsp garlic powder. Rub the pork on all sides with this mixture.

Step 2 -Sear the roast. Over high heat, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to a cast iron skillet (or whatever skillet you have on hand). Once the skillet is very hot, carefully add the pork roast and sear on each side for about 10-15 seconds until a nice crust forms.

Step 3 - Transfer pork roast to a crockpot along with ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup water. Cook on low heat for 7-8 hours. When done, pork will be very tender and pull apart easily with a fork.

Step 4: About 15 minutes before you are ready to eat the roast, make the balsamic glaze. Add ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 minced clove of garlic to a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until sauce thickens and turns into a glaze, stirring frequently, about 10-15 minutes.

Step 5: Remove pork from the crockpot and serve with the balsamic glaze.

Try serving this Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast on toasty buns for a delicious sandwich.

How To Make Pork Roast in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker):

Follow the instructions above for slow cooking and make the following changes: Sear the roast on the "sauté" setting. Then, cook on "manual" or "meat/stew" setting for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.

Side dishes to serve with pork roast:

Creamy Mashed Potatoes - Easy, creamy, buttery mashed potatoes sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts Sweet Potatoes & Bacon - Sautéed brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes tossed with crispy bacon, sweet cranberries and toasted pine nuts.

Spinach Apple Salad - Easiest healthy salad made with spinach, apples, cranberries, walnuts, cheddar cheese chunks and pepitas served with homemade honey mustard dressing.

Honey Roasted Whole Carrots - Whole carrots seasoned with honey, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and fresh dill roasted to perfection in the oven.

More delicious slow cooker recipes I think you'll love:

Slow Cooker Pork Roast Chili - Pork roast pinto bean chili cooked low and slow in a crockpot/slow cooker. This is the easiest, most delicious pork chili ever and it more than exceeded my expectations!

Crockpot Italian Meatballs - My crockpot meatballs are not only super easy and packed with flavor, but they are so tender and delicious and melt in your mouth with every single bite.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken - My super easy slow cooker (crockpot) bbq pulled chicken recipe is made with a delicious homemade sweet and slightly spicy barbecue sauce.

Slow Cooked Tender London Broil - This London broil recipe is super easy and absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. The flavor is slightly sweet but mostly savory. If you are looking for a tender, pull-apart London broil recipe that takes very little effort from start to finish, look no further!